Amy Pomana and her grandparents Ngaere and Rex Pennell at her graduation in 2018.
Bachelor of Communication graduate Amy Pomana, Ngāi Te Rangi, completed her Work-Integrated Learning as part of her Communication Internship course in her final year of study with us.
Amy worked in the Massey National Events and Sponsorship Team and says having the opportunity to put theory into practice was invaluable in transitioning from a student who only had experience working in hospitality, to the diverse nature of working in corporate communications.
“I learned basics such as general office etiquette and communicating in a professional manner, to managing priorities, meeting deadlines, and effectively engaging in and managing relationships with external and internal stakeholders,” Amy says.
Amy moved to Te Papaioea, Palmerston North, when she finished secondary school and became a young solo mum. She worked in various hospitality roles including bar and cafe work, before moving into a head barista position at an inner-city café.
“I was concerned I wouldn’t cut it in academia after so long out of school but I was pleasantly surprised when I passed that paper, so I enrolled full time.”
Amy’s internship offered many networking opportunities and resulted in her landing casual employment on the completion of her internship.
“If you’re worried about taking on tertiary study because you could end up unable to secure a job in your chosen career path, the WIL programme can reassure you that Massey actively supports you in gaining the experience needed to enter your chosen field."
“You gain invaluable experience by putting all of that theory into practice in real life settings, it helps you to grow as a person and as a professional. Plus you network in an internship which opens up the doors to a world of further job opportunities.”
Work Integrated Learning helped with the transition into the workforce and Amy says she learned it is okay to make mistakes.
“When you are new to working or change career paths as I did, there is this real fear of mucking up and failing. But sometimes mistakes are all part of the journey when you are challenging yourself and pushing the boundaries. Those mistakes turn into valuable life lessons, they force you to learn and grow.”
Amy is now a Marketing Executive at Massey, based on our Manawatū campus.
“My portfolio is interesting and varied, no two days are the same. My favourite part of the job is working on photography and video projects.
“I am so grateful I got to experience what work-integrated learning has to offer. It has opened up a world of career opportunities and set me on the path to a prosperous future.”